Tips & Advice - Baywoods of Annapolis

NEWS & ARTICLES

Your Brain Activity: How to Stay Mentally Sharp in Retirement

Stay Mentally Sharp in Retirement The role of mental health and longevity is well documented. Just as we need to exercise our bodies to protect cardiovascular and bone health, working out our brains is essential to preserving our mental, social, and emotional health. Mental Stimulation and Combating Alzheimer’s Alzheimer’s disease is very common today. It’s characterized by mild memory loss in the early stages and can progress to include a

From Farm to Table: Nutrition Tips for Retirees

Nutrition Tips For Retirees Good nutrition is essential in our seniors to maintain an active, healthy fulfilling lifestyle. Our nutrition needs change as we age – and we often need less food overall, so making our choices nutrient-dense is vital to achieving a well-balanced diet. Follow these tips to maximize your nutrition. Why Is Good Nutrition Important? In our retirement years, our most important job is safeguarding our health. Calcium keeps our bones strong, while Omega 3s protect brain and cardiovascular health. To maintain a well-balanced diet, try following the Mediterranean Diet: Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, focusing on leafy greens; get protein from fish, legumes, and lean sources of meat like chicken; eat whole grains like wheat, spelt, and brown rice; make fats healthy, like those found in avocado, olive oil, and salmon. Enjoy treats in moderation. Following this diet is good for your heart, brain, and bones. Specialized Meal Preparation Our diet needs evolve as our health changes, requiring specialized diets. If you have special dietary needs, from low sodium to diabetic friendly, talk to a member of our kitchen staff. BayWoods of Annapolis has experience in following special dietary requirements for our residents. Watch Your Sodium

Two Things to Consider for Your Parents Continuing Care Retirement Community Move

Continuing Care Retirement Community We all want what’s best for our loved ones. At some point, we realize that our parents or loved ones cannot live as well or as safely independently like they used to. When everyday activities become difficult, a move to a continuing care retirement community will help a retiree thrive. Here are some helpful suggestions to consider before you tour a senior community. Is this a Financially Feasible Option? The first thing to consider is whether moving to a senior living community makes financial sense for your loved one. Is their current living situation safe for them, then consider is the house upkeep draining their finances. Many seniors have to get help or contract with services outside of the home to keep their property up. Sit down with your parents and determine what they are spending on a monthly basis to keep their home going. Real Estate taxes, school taxes etc. Ask them to calculate the amount they receive from all retirement accounts and Social Security payments. Once you have an idea about what they currently spend on a monthly basis, then look at what they can afford. At this point the process becomes easier. A

4 Things Seniors Need to Know About Medicare

Senior Medicare Knowledge Medicare is for people age 65 and older and those who have special conditions or disabilities. Applying for Medicare can be an intimidating, complicated, and confusing process. So, in this article, Baywoods of Annapolis provides 4 things you should know about Medicare! Tip #1: Signing Up There are only certain periods when you can enroll in Medicare, and these are subject to change. At the time of this writing, you must enroll in the time period 3 months before your 65th birthday to 3 months after your 65th birthday. Failure to do so may subject you to certain penalties and even a gap in coverage, so be sure to check the official Medicare.gov website well before your 65th birthday and plan accordingly. Each member of your family must enroll in Medicare. Tip #2: After 65, Medicare is Your Primary Insurer Regardless of whether you have another insurance provider, (such as retiree health insurance, individual insurance, or COBRA insurance,) after you turn 65, Medicare is considered your primary insurer…even if you haven’t applied! So, be sure to follow guidelines in Tip 1 and sign up as soon as you are eligible. Tip #3: Understanding the

Downsizing for Your Retirement Living Move

Retirement Downsizing Making a move to an assisted living community is the first step in your retiree enjoying a more fulfilling, healthy lifestyle. However, it can be hard to for anyone to part with their possessions and downsize their belongings before moving into a smaller living space. Here’s how to help. Take Stock of What You Have, and Prioritize The first step of downsizing is taking an inventory of what your retiree already has. Spend a few days organizing and decluttering each room. Clear out all old mail, papers, and other unnecessary items before beginning the process. Empty each closet to determine the volume of possessions and get a sense of how much you need to get rid of. For an idea of space requirements at BayWoods of Annapolis, talk to us. Once you have a clear idea of what you have, prioritize. Does your retiree have to take that tea set from a garage sale 10 years ago? Probably not. At the same time, don’t discount items of sentimental value, even if they seem silly to you. If someone is particularly attached to a memento of the past, keep it, even if it seems impractical. If your retiree is

Senior Move Managers Make Moving to Assisted Living Easier

Assisted Living Transition Transitioning loved ones is a time consuming, labor intensive, and often emotionally draining process for everyone involved. The senior is often apprehensive and resistant, while the children or caretakers are often tasked with coordinating all the details. But what if you had a team of experts to take care of the logistics? In this article, we’ll discuss how and why Senior Move Managers® and logistics professionals can simplify the process and make it less stressful for all involved. When it’s time to move, seniors are faced with unique challenges. Depending upon their health, they may need help downsizing, packing, organizing, and figuring out what should be moved to the next place and what needs to be re-purposed elsewhere. Senior Move Managers® and logistics professionals assist seniors and their families with the entire relocation process. The National Association of Senior Move Managers® is the leading membership organization and serves as a great resource to locate these logistics professionals. In addition, all members must meet strict vetting requirements before approval. The following services provide an overview of how a logistic professional can help: Organizing, sorting, downsizing – tedious tasks that require time, patience, and often emotion. By having someone

Promote Longevity With These 5 Senior Fitness Trends

Senior Fitness Trends There’s always a new fitness craze: Gurus are combining the latest health techniques to invent classes that keep participants coming back for more. Seniors may not have the strength for trampoline aerobics or Yogalates, but regular exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. Encourage your retiree to participate in these gentle low-impact fitness trends that are both good for the body and easy on the joints. Sit and Be Fit This class is conducted from a chair and focuses on improving functionality and mobility. Depending on an individual’s fitness level, participants may use weights, resistance bands, and medicine balls to strengthen their cores to improve balance. Water Aerobics Aqatic exercise provides a low-impact option that’s beneficial for anyone with limited mobility. Using water for natural resistance, water aerobics provides cardiovascular and strengthening benefits in a virtually risk-free environment. BayWoods of Annapolis proudly offers water aerobics classes for residents – contact us for further questions. Silver Sneakers This nationwide program offers free or low-cost fitness activities in conjunction with Medicare plans. Silver Sneaker classes vary by location but focus on improving balance and strengthening major muscle groups to encourage ease of movement and to alleviate symptoms

Four Ways to Encourage Life-Long Learning

Life-Long Learning The wonders of modern medical interventions have us living longer more fulfilling lives. To take full advantage of this, retirees should seek ways to be fully engaged in their environment. Taking an active role in lifelong learning has protective effects against dementia and is an essential tenet of a healthy lifestyle. See how you can encourage lifelong learning for your retiree. Follow a Passion In their working years, seniors were often too busy to learn about what they were actually interested in; retirement provides an opportunity for retirees to follow their passions. Whether it’s learning to cook French cuisine or trying ballroom dancing, actively engaging in an activity improves a senior’s lifestyle, both socially and mentally. Help your retiree choose an area of interest and coordinate classes that allow him or her to learn a new skill. Take a Group Approach Learning doesn’t have to follow a solitary approach – on the contrary, we learn best when we engage with others. Finding a class for you senior promotes longevity as it keeps minds sharp and encourages social engagement, which staves off conditions like depression. Help your retiree connect with classes in the area by investigating continuing education offerings

Does Your Retirement Community Provide On-Site Health Care?

On-Site Care When you enter a retirement community, you may be fit and healthy, but as you age, there may come a time when you require additional health services. On-site health care is an important benefit providing convenience and peace of mind to you and your family. Here are the top 3 reasons why it’s important to choose a retirement community that provides on site care. Providing a continuum of care is the foundation of a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) like Baywoods of Annapolis. CCRC means that the community provides services for: Independent Living Assisted Living Skilled Nursing Care Why is this important? Limits your need to travel. For you, the retiree, it means that you will likely have most of your health care needs handled in the community in which you live. This eliminates most the need for most residents to travel for: Doctor’s Appointments Wellness Visits Pharmacies Coordination of Services Comfort, Convenience, Friends. Imagine being transported to another facility where your spouse and friends cannot readily visit you during your treatment. When you enter our short-term rehabilitation facility or assisted living facility, you’ll be within the same community, with the same friends, getting the care and support

Checklist for Choosing a Retirement Community

Retirement Community Checklist Each of us has different lifestyles and priorities so, when it comes to choosing a retirement community, you want to be sure you’ve weighed all the pros and cons. Baywoods of Annapolis is pleased to provide you with this checklist to use as you search for the right retirement community for you! Overall Community Considerations ✔Is the community located near friends or family who may visit? ✔Does the community offer different levels of care to accommodate changing health needs? ✔How has the community performed in recent state inspections? ✔Does the community allow pets? ✔Does the community provide transportation to doctors, shopping or other local activities? ✔What are the costs and fees? ✔Does the community offer a co-op program to provide additional financial benefits? ✔What types of culture, cuisine, and events are offered in the local community? Staff ✔Do they have time to speak with you or does it feel rushed? ✔Are staff members warm and pleasant when communicating with residents? Or do they seem stressed or overwhelmed? ✔Does the staff look happy? Do they seem to enjoy interacting with one another? Quality & Care-Taking ✔Do residents look well cared for? Clean clothes, shaven, hair clean and

Preparing for Assisted Living

Assisted Living Tips When the decision is made to move from independent to assisted living, emotions can play havoc on you and your family members. In this guide, we offer assisted living tips to help make the transition as smooth as possible. Meet with the Director The Director and the staff of Baywoods of Annapolis have welcomed many new folks into their community and are very familiar with the common questions new residents ask. Be sure to get all of your questions answered before you move so that you will feel better on move-in day. Ask for a list of suggested items to bring and/or not to bring. Ask for an activities calendar, so you can choose several programs to attend early on. Measure You will want to visit the actual unit that you will move into and take measurements or ask for a floor plan. Your new home is likely to be much smaller than your existing home, so you will want to bring the furnishings that make you feel most at home, but that won’t make you feel crowded. Now is also a great time to offer items that you can’t use, to family members who will

NEWS & ARTICLES

Your Brain Activity: How to Stay Mentally Sharp in Retirement

From Farm to Table: Nutrition Tips for Retirees

Two Things to Consider for Your Parents Continuing Care Retirement Community Move

4 Things Seniors Need to Know About Medicare

Downsizing for Your Retirement Living Move

Senior Move Managers Make Moving to Assisted Living Easier

Promote Longevity With These 5 Senior Fitness Trends

Four Ways to Encourage Life-Long Learning

Does Your Retirement Community Provide On-Site Health Care?

Checklist for Choosing a Retirement Community

Preparing for Assisted Living

SUBSCRIBE TO RESOURCES VIA EMAIL

RECENT POSTS

Archives

Categories

RESIDENT TESTIMONIALS

BayWoods Cooperative Housing Corporation © 2021 All Rights Reserved
Website By CC&A Strategic Media